mdrejhon

Really? I think you may need a lesson in aerodynamics as well Mr. Billvon. Your statement would only be true in a vacuum. Wingsuiting in a vacuum? Now that sounds impossible as well as unhealthy. Can we get back to the accident now? Maybe I'll start a poll in GSD to see who needs the lesson in aerodynamics .. Personally, I think both of you may be right...for different reasons. To avoid putting this talk in this thread, I have created a new thread in General: Canoping tending to turn downwind

[Edit: I created this thread, before billyvon and others split the topic from the incidents forum. Billyvon, please feel free to re-merge this into the main thread.] I am attempting to keep this distraction away from Incidents, so out of courtesy, I am posting this thread here to deflect attention on this detail, away from there. A canopy doesn't care what it is relative to the ground. In a perfect laminar-flow wind that always blows at exactly the same speed. So canopies with no input, will never tend to fly downwind in this perfect 'physics' case. But if someone take my arms off toggles and just relax from a high-altitude hop-and-pop, some canopies are reported to slowly inch their way to downwind, after a minute or two. (be attentive if you test this, and it probably works best with larger canopies) The micro-fluctuations of wind (going through turbulence, going through wind layers, minor vortexes, etc) causes subtle effects that cause canopy to 'inch' its way (.... errr .... I mean 'millimeter' or 'micrometer' it way) to a downwind heading. Most of the time, wind surges up (gusts) rather than surging down (sudden deadness). Airplanes and canopies flying into a sudden gust, often gets deflected towards downwind. This is often seen in radio control airplanes, when you try to control light and slow flying airplanes in windy weather; Yes, if there were sudden dead moments in a gusty weather, it would (physics-wise) be more likely that a canopy starts to point upwind instead of downwind. Now.... Even stable air often have micro-gusts (not perceptible to humans) that will often 'inch' (er, 'millimeter') the heading toward downwind. I am especially interesting in hearing from other control airplane pilot (of which I am one); who's familiar with the phenomenon that a radio/control airplane (without input) often gets deflected to fly downwind, because of the gust-deflection effect. It is much more common with the popular slow-moving ARF/RTF foamies (almost-ready-to-fly / ready-to-fly out of the box, foam airplanes), when you try to fly them outdoors in moderately windy weather. When letting them coast (no input) they get deflected towards the downwind direction during the sudden gusts. And we all know, sudden brief gusts (tendancy to deflect *certain* aeronautical vehicles to downwind) are more common sudden brief deceleration in wind (tendancy to deflect *certain* aeronautical vehicles to upwind). And this scales downwards to the micro level too, to gusts that humans cannot perceive. Wind in real world nature is not laminar, and the different speeds of wind layers as a canopy descends, produce opportunity for micro-gusts and vortices between the wind layers. The more gusty, the faster the tendancy to turn downwind. In very stable weather with little wind and virtually zero turbulence, the forces may accumulate enough to completely turn a canopy downwind before landing. Again, it is not unamious to all aeronautical vehicles, and thus, may not be unamious to all parachutes (i.e. it may happen more with more-easily-deformable non-cross-braced parchutes, who knows?) Comments? Especially from Ph.D's -- and from R/C pilots -- and from ultralight pilots -- and from CRW pilots? Although not a Ph.D here, I did get 96% in Physics at one time...

I know. I probably am the lowest-timer on Kaledioscope! Gulp! I only asked to be put on the 2010 mailing list, and got an invite to the 2009 event three days ago because of a cancellation. I nearly said no until I realized how major an event I'd be missing. And simultaneously got invited to the Perris January 2010 speed sequentials too on the same day in a separate email! And I already have Z-Team 2010 too! Not to mention the must-not-miss Perris 100-ways in early May. Expensive 2010 it seems. And me and my better half have a separate Christmas vacation too. I'm camping. I'd rather save money from renting a car!

From FlockUniversity.org ____________ Requiem for a Wingsuiter On November 11, 2009, the wingsuiting community lost one of its greatest and most unsung contributors. Earlier in the day, Steve Harrington had joined with dozens of other wingsuiters to set the US record for largest flock: a 68-way slot perfect design. On the last load of the day – a fun jump to celebrate that success – tragedy occurred when he struck the tail of the aircraft on exit. Steve started skydiving in 1991, when he first went through AFF on a whim with his twin brother. Steve continued on in the skydiving world, when his twin drifted out of the sport. Despite his love for jumping, over time, his skydiving started to decrease. “I hadn’t made a lot of jumps in the preceding five or six years due to work commitments, recovery from a skiing accident, buying new home, and getting married,” he once remarked. All that turned around when he discovered wingsuiting. “Wingsuiting made me realize what I was missing; it just made me feel alive again,” he said. Steve co-founded Flock University because he loved wingsuiting and wanted to share that love and enthusiasm with other skydivers. That effort was just another manifestation of his quiet and unassuming – but consistently friendly and positive – manner. He was “one of those jumpers that you looked forward to seeing on the plane every time,” a friend wrote. “He always had a warm smile, welcoming attitude, and a keen eye for jumper safety.” Steve was a trailblazer both in the sky and in his personal life. Steve married his partner, Adam, in one of the first same-sex marriages conducted following its legalization in Massachusetts. “My spouse is now in medical school – I guess that makes us a ‘power couple’ – a doctor and business professional”, Steve once joked. He often remarked that skydiving has made him a more “complete” and “confident” person. “Friends at work always ask me about recent jumps and travels,” he once said. “They say their lives are boring in comparison, and they’re jealous... But they also say they are jealous that I am not tied down to a nagging wife,” he added with a smile. A friend wrote, “Steve was always in a good mood, always positive – he lived his life the way he wanted to. He was a true and genuine human being. He was part of the reason we had so much fun jumping our wingsuits.” Another commented, “He touched many lives... We are all truly honored who got to share the air with him. He will not be forgotten...” All of us at Flock University mourn Steve’s loss, and we all extend our deep condolences to Adam and Steve’s family. Blue Skies, Steve... Fly free. Steven Harrington (November 25, 1968 to November 11, 2009). ____________ At WingsuitNews.com http://news.flylikebrick.com/2009/11/in-memoriam-steve-harrington-1968-2009.html ____________ Steve is also a 2006 Gay Way World Record holder, and a 2009 Gay Way World Record holder, having attended both the 2006 and 2009 boogies that I personally organized. Photo of the 2009 Team attached below, he is the upper-left in our group photo. Several of us in our group are devastated.

Steve was in my circle of friends and he will be missed. He also, unfortunately, happens to be the first person I personally know, to pass away in skydiving. ________ Boston skydiver killed in Calif. tried record (AP) – 1 hour ago MURRIETA, Calif. — A skydiver from Boston killed in a California accident had tried to set a parachuting record in a charity jump hours before his death. Forty-year-old Stephen Harrington of Boston landed Wednesday in a Murrietta driveway. Authorities say he might have struck the tail of the plane and it was unclear whether his parachute deployed. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Eli Bolotin of the charity Raise the Sky says Harrington was among 68 people who earlier in the day jumped in formation from Lake Elsinore for a $5,000 fundraising event. Bolotin says they were setting a U.S. record for jumps using wing suits — skydiving suits with winglike fabric panels. The jump was successful but Bolotin says it had not yet been formally certified as a record. --end--- (Assocated Press; from Google News)

Anyone here who is going to Kaledioscope? I'm looking to share a ride (cost of rental car, or a pickup) from Orlando airport (MCO). Landing shortly after midnight at 12:20am - Very early morning the same day as the first day of the event.

Ketia0, I'm only a reader in this matter and not involved, but google "Mark Schlatter Skydiving" (demo jumper website, etc) then do a Search on dropzone.com for nickname "Slyde" (the main one being this thread). It gives some background information... Personally nothing of interest to most of us skydivers like you and me who just want to continue to enjoy jumping, but my posting gives contextual information to any outside jumpers who's never heard.

For a moment, I thought you meant the dropzone.com moderators!

Another datapoint I need to add is that there was one time, somewhere in the past that one of my parents claimed they were against gay marriage, yet totally made me and my boyfriend welcome at Christmas dinners, and all invitations were always mutual, exactly the same rights afforded to any other sibling with a partner (regardless of sexuality). That means, I do accept there exists people who are genuinely nice to gays, with genuine respect, even if they aren't internally 100% supportive or comfortable of the idea of gayness. Or that for one reason or another (i.e. tradition) may not believe in gay marriage. Some people may call that homophobia. Some say it isn't homophobia. Clinical and sterile, from a dictoinary, homophobia means a phobia of homosexuals -- without defining if the phobia is mild or extreme. Generally I avoid the word homophobia in my vocabulary as it's too fuzzy a catchall word, used in both mild and extremist cases.... Examples of what some describe as homophobia (noun): "kill all gays!" ...versus... "you're my best friend, just I don't believe in gay marriage, however I respect you if you believe in gay marriage, and I'll tolerate it if it happens!" ...versus... "Give me time, I'm still trying to get used to the idea of gay marriage." ...or... "Give me time, I'm still trying to get used to the idea of gays." Some people call all cases equally as homophobia, which I believe is totally unfair when taken out of context. There is a stigma with the use of word "homophobia", like the word "racist" Some people prefer to use the word "tolerance" for those happy "edge cases".

Android is looking really sweet. And WM not so sweet. I agree about Android and WM. That said, I think Microsoft is up to something major for Windows Mobile 7 with 3D transitions similiar to Android and iPhone. The Storm actually has 3D hardware in it, but it's not activated by BlackBerry yet -- hopefully OpenGL in some OS5 revision in the next year.

Cool. Yeah, earlier, BlackBerry tethering required lots of steps. Now in some beta versions of Desktop 5.0, it's more of a one-click operation as a menu item as RIM is gradually bringing this feature into parity of ease-of-use... (The 'easy' tether is not available on all carriers)

I've been tethering using my BlackBerry (over Bluetooth) to my laptop, BlackBerries had this feature since 2005. I'm now glad iPhone enabled this feature, but disappointed AT&T still locks it even though the AT&T BlackBerry lets you tether... I can install 3 different SSH apps on my BlackBerry now (none available through App World, but RIM lets you install BlackBerry apps downloaded elsewhere from a website). The most popular BlackBerry SSH is midpssh... Free, while the high-priced Rove Mobile version (for corporations) is superior, and there's another one as part of another remote desktop app... In Canada, iPhone is now being made available on November 5th on three different cellphone companies (Bell Canada, Telus, and Rogers). Bell and Telus are conveting from CDMA to 3G HSPA+ (21Mbps!) on time for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics...

I always run into people who say X is better than Y, or vice versa. I'm a multi-platform mobile software developer. I actually have both devices. iPhones with music, media, game -- especially 3D ones like Need For Speed, better Safari browser, more well-designed OS, more refined device design. It is amazing how great a job Apple did with their design. Apple devices have been very fun and entertaining to play with. That said, there's enough room on the planet for both Apple and BlackBerry. Newer BlackBerries (made by RIM) have a more integrated Inbox/IM/fax/msn/aim/yahoo/icq/google/facebook/myspace/SMS/googlephone mail box. (In newer BlackBerries, the Inbox system on a BlackBerry allows the most 'integrated' mailbox if the user enables the integration features). There's multitasking on a BlackBerry since 2001, using the Alt+Tab keypress (and brand new BlackBerries hitting the market or upgraded to BB OS 5.0, allows you to just hold the menu key to switch apps much quicker). iPhones unfortunately don't yet allow you to multitask (mostly an arbitrary limitation by Apple). There's the physical keyboard, support for external Bluetooth keyboard, more open platform not banning any type of app at all, 4 brands of web browsers such as Opera Mini and Bolt Browser while Apple only allows their in-house Safari, etc. People no longer should judge BlackBerries based on 2-year-old boring Pearl and Curve's -- the latest models have considerably advanced since, after Apple woke RIM up. (There's more advanced evolution between a Curve 8300 and a Bold 9700, than an iPhone original versus iPhone 3GS). Today, I can email unedited file attachments such as video files, and run a RIM-sanctioned File Explorer app on the BlackBerry memory card -- a REAL filesystem that's permitted by RIM -- something I don't see on Apple devices that aren't jailbroken! It is my opinion BlackBerry is far behind Apple in many areas, yet so far ahead of Apple in other areas. The next few years will be interesting to see the smartphone titans duke it out, with Apple "opening up" a bit more, and RIM improving their devices as quickly as they can to prevent being knocked out of the market. RIM is crap at many things, like 3D graphics (at the moment), while in other areas, video quality is now identical for many video formats, etc. But supposedly to be changed, there are rumors of later 3D graphics being added to BlackBerry in the next 2 years, and also Adobe has announced Flash coming to BlackBerry (not iPhone!) next year. (Modern BlackBerry units with Operating System version 5.0 perform roughly 10x faster in app benchmark programs compared to BlackBerry Curves, which are now considered old BlackBerry models that some people love to hate...) Both are excellent devices, with very different advantages. I am surprised though, at many iPhone users not realizing how quicky RIM is reacting to 'adequately keep up'...

The 2nd prizes is also a BlackBerry 9700 too as well. Actually, like iPhones work well with PC's, BlackBerries work well with Mac's too. Tradeoffs abound. iPhone's excel at some things and BlackBerry at others. I'm a multilplatform developer with specialization in programming multiple brands of mobile devices. But that's a separate topic for a separate forum. So -- to make sure my reply gets back on topic -- I believe other cellphones were skydived before in the past. I believe that Nokia (or some other company) had a speed-texting contest in freefall that was submitted to Guiness Book of Wold Records, there was a thread somewhere about this. But never heard of someone jumping a BlackBerry in freefall in their hands. Should I continue to claim I'm the first ever to jump a BlackBerry? (it's on video, so it did happen!)

It was my old backup BlackBerry as I use my Bold, so low-value to me personally (Curve originals are becoming old BlackBerry models now). In addition, I could rip the BlackBerry off the duct tape and jam into my right-leg jumpsuit pocket OR down my neck. Or worst-case scenario, jettison, if keeping it was going to kill me. And in event BlackBerry stayed stuck on my glove, pull off the glove, and jam both down my neck if time/safe to do so (glove with BlackBerry still attached). There was enough force on the duct tape to hold it to my glove if I loosened my grip, but not too much that I was unable to pull it off in a ground check. I also fly 150 and 170 canopies (I used Sabre 170 for this jump), so spinning linetwist aren't as dangerous as under a pocket rocket...

Almost a year ago, I had a lineover after one opening on a very long spot, that cleared but left me a little low over a village with few options. I had a choice between an aggressive sashay to a tiny grassy plot almost directly below me that was surrounded by tall trees, or seeing if I could fly over an apple orchard to a larger spot. Ultimately, I decided to fly in a straight line over the narrow grassy median on the side of the orchard between the trees and the road (there were no wires or power poles, but was also mindful to avoid the fence that separated the orchard from the road). I flew far enough to the field though, and landed fine in the bigger field which wasn't bigger than a large backyard. A long track as a bigway outer, followed immediately by a mal for 2 seconds that cleared itself before I almost decided to cutaway (it would have been my first time). Was one my scariest landings and the most difficult quick-decision landing area, because there was just no way to easily superimpose a regular landing pattern over where I was, once I determined wind direction and realized my spot was the worst location I ever had. The landing was cross-wind, stand-up, in tall grass. Even if it was going to be a downwinder, I'd have followed a similiar path as it was obviously safer in the direction I decided to go in, regardless of wind direction, given the relatively low altitude (~1500ish) my canopy stabilized above an urban area.

This is the first time I edited a video, for a "whuffo" contest that I entered. As a long-time BlackBerry user, I decided to enter a video contest related to BlackBerries, since it has a MacBook as a first prize, so why not have a little fun by submitting a skydiving-related video... The BlackBerry contest is at: http://crackberry.com/iluvmybb-contest-wild-card-vote-10th-finalist I'm Video #77, and this is my skydive with a BlackBerry in freefall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cOaoHq1Xes It's a little amateurish because there was only one chance to do this, but hopefully it portrays skydiving in a postive light to a non-skydiver population. My description that I submitted for the video is as follows: Before people ask, I should mention this was approved by the dropzone & safety aspects were covered, including what I would do in an emergency. The video also shows my hometown's new Navajo plane, too! (It's a 10-person low-wing twin-prop jump plane that many skydivers have never jumped from before before)

As the Navajo jump exit is on the left side, I think a right engine failure is safer than a left engine failure? The extra drag of a jumpdoor on the side opposite the failed propeller, is preferable, I think, from a thrust-balance standpoint. If the jumpdoor was on the same side as the failed prop, there would be more asymmetry. Would any pilot be able to confirm? Even from past precedent of single-propeller operations on any twin such as Twin otters?

Another useful question... Left or right engine? There might be a difference in bailout success depending on which engine goes out, since exiting people may easily cause a stall in one case, and not in the other case? Any comments from other pilots? (pilotdave, etc)

Same here. If I buy the standard Kraft or Skippy, that goes in the cupboard. Hydrogenated oils will not separate. However, on occasion, when I do buy the 100% All-Natural peanut butter (NO HYDROGENATED OILS), putting this in the fridge actually is more convenient because the peanut oil keep pooling at the top if I don't put it in the fridge. Fortunately, the 100% all-natural peanut butter remans soft when refrigerated, yet it 'spreads much easier' than room-temperature 100% all-natural peanut butter. Refrigerated 100% all-natural is as convenient as non-refrigerated factory peanut butter. To everyone else reading: So rule of thumb.... Factory Peanut Butter (Kraft, Skippy) -- don't bother refrigerating 100% All Natural Peanut Butter -- more convenient & easier to spread if refrigerated I like both kinds, for different reasons, but the natural is obviously healthier and actually tastes better, less fattening (and healthier fats), and I can use more of it (pig out a little more on peanut butter) with less health worry... But people HATE THE OIL SLICK AT TOP OF NATURAL HOME-MADE-STYLE PEANUT BUTTER .... refrigerating after shaking or mixing the container, solves this problem! (It just simply stays mixed when refrigerated -- meaning, refrigerated natural PB has the same 'convenient' consistency as unrefrigerated factory PB)

You spelled it out with SPACES between the letters. Acronym alert! Therefore, you have to reveal. What does M.O.R.O.N.S. stand far? Massively Outrageously Repulsively Obssessively Nefarious Simians? Mass-Obstucting Reality-Obfuscating Nasty Swine?

Since you're likely to go back to the dropzone before I do (because of my upcoming tunnel plans and Texas 50-ways), can you do me a favour and ask if the skyvan-style approach is pratical with a Navajo? Say with 5 people staying behind a 'red line', and 5 people at the door? Even if 5 people remain seated and it takes 5 seconds for the entire plane to finish emptying? I can catch formations from 12500 feet wth a 7 second delay... In fact, I did one intentional 8-second delay for big way dive pratice (someone jumps out, we wait, then we jump out to chase to dock). I made it!

That's reassuring I didn't jump from a death trap. Can you post a play-by-play of this failure, the local pilot probably would almost certainly appreciate getting in touch with your pilot. I am sure it is pilot training that helped, and I'd appreciate knowing that I helped two Navajo's pilot talk to each other about single-engine operation, can get you in touch with GO Skydive...

They might theoretically be able to treat it SkyVan-style. Red line across the floor/cieling. 4 people stay behind the red line. Launch the 6 way first. THEN the 4 people can safely scramble to jump out. An extra safety margin can possibly be achieved by limiting the launch to 4-way, since the remaining 6 people will be shifting the center-of-gravity around getting ready to go for the door. I guess some experiments will be made someday, since this is the first time a Navajo, to the best of my knowledge, is running here for jump operations in Canada. (Correct me if I am wrong) There will be a delay, but it won't be worse than the last 4 people out of a Twin Otter anyway, and it would be a great place to put more experienced jumpers (like me) to chase after a novice 4-way) I jumped the Navajo last weekend for the creation of a YouTube video for a contest entry. I only had time to be at the dropzone for about 3 hours, but I got to go up two times! That's an impressive jump-frequency-per-time-at-dropzone only achieved at busy turbine dropzones or busy 3-Cessna dropzones. I do really like the Navajo despite its limitations. It's much more fun for us experienceds. We no longer have to wait, because they can cram in a 4-way team and couple of tandems, and two videographers. No more waiting for the tandem loads to go up before experienceds go up. The air didn't feel bad at the door at all, I had more difficuty holding onto certain Twin Otters. That said, the door is fairly small, but I'll take a Navajo (especially at 12500) over a Cessna 182/205/206, especially if it means I now get to go up into the air almost three times as often in one day! (truly!) For a Cessna dropzone, the Navajo is a major upgrade, and apparently, cost-effective. I hope that safety risk is worth it - there are worse flying deathtraps I've seen than this apparently lightly-used Navajo (I heard the dropzone was actually going to originally buy a NEW Navajo!) P.S. Bonus points to those who find my YouTube video. It has me sitting in front of a parked Navajo, too -- if you want to see what a Navajo looks like. It also includes video of a ground climb-in, and video of me jumping out.

I'm very interested in becoming a good freeflyer as time progresses. Many know me in person as a bellyflyer... I can't help but to observe that tunnels have been 'sorta' amplifying belly-flying around here. Almost everybody, even with half a brain, can enter a tunnel and bellyfly on their first try. Freefly in a tunnel takes lots of time and money. I have been witnessing experienced skydivers (100-200 jump league) be introduced to their first 3-way and 4-ways after only 15-30 minutes of tunnel time. Larger tunnels like the 14-foot Skyventure Montreal, very forgiving to novices and make it pretty easy for novices to rapidly graduate from tunnel familiarization into bellyfly RW in the tunnel. During a tunnel camp earlier this year, someone had only 15 minutes of tunnel time, and expected to only do 2-ways and then maybe a 3-way. But by the end of the day, he was in our 4-ways and holding his own, rapidly catching up to the 300 and 400 jump people in the same formation. As a result you can bellyfly for only 3 dollars per minute (4-ways split by 4 people sharing cost) with a fairly low bar before you're allowed to fly with others in the tunnel. Tunnels have, kinda, been amplifying RW around here a little bit lately. They definitely amplify freefly too, but not nearly as much due to extra time and money commitments...